Kaprizov’s OT Heroics Lift Wild Over Canadiens for Fourth Straight Win
ST. PAUL, Minn. - Kirill Kaprizov is back in takeover mode, and the Minnesota Wild are riding the wave.
Kaprizov scored twice Monday night, including the game-winner on a power play with just 1:22 left in overtime, to lift the Wild to a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens at Grand Casino Arena. The victory marked Minnesota’s fourth straight and extended their point streak to six games (5-0-1).
“It was a good game, I think,” Kaprizov said postgame. “Both sides had a lot of chances.
It was fun for the fans, for sure. Montreal’s a good team.”
The OT winner came after Kaprizov drew a hooking penalty on Phillip Danault at 2:34 of the extra frame. On the ensuing power play, he wasted no time-firing from the top of the slot and beating Jakub Dobes for the walk-off finish.
But this wasn’t a one-man show.
Quinn Hughes continues to make history in a Wild sweater. The star defenseman notched three assists, reaching 400 for his NHL career and extending his point streak to nine games (2 goals, 14 assists).
He now joins elite company, becoming the third-fastest defenseman in league history to hit the 400-assist milestone-doing it in just 484 games. Only Bobby Orr (437) and Paul Coffey (464) got there faster.
“He and Kaprizov just think the game at a different level,” said defenseman Brock Faber, who also found the back of the net. “They’re kind of on the same wavelength out there. It’s fun to watch-and even more fun to be part of.”
Joel Eriksson Ek opened the scoring just 38 seconds into the game, sniping from the left circle to give the Wild an early 1-0 lead. Kaprizov added his first of the night later in the period, redirecting a slick feed from Hughes in the low slot to make it 2-0.
But Montreal didn’t go quietly.
Brendan Gallagher cut the lead to 2-1 with 52 seconds left in the first, crashing the crease and finishing with a backhand. Ivan Demidov tied it late in the second with a one-timer from the right dot off a cross-ice dish from Lane Hutson. Then, just 12 seconds into the third, Kirby Dach gave the Canadiens their first lead of the night, redirecting a Nick Suzuki shot from the short side to make it 3-2.
“I don’t know if we deserved better,” Suzuki said. “We started kind of slow, but I thought we kept building and pushing. It’s a big point in this building.”
That lead didn’t last long.
Faber pulled the Wild even at 3-3 midway through the third, taking a heads-up pass from Marcus Johansson and breaking in alone to beat Dobes on the breakaway.
“Finding ways to win-that’s what you’ve got to do,” Faber said. “They’ve got a really good team over there. It was a pretty even fight tonight, and thankfully we came out on top.”
Minnesota coach John Hynes praised his team’s resilience, especially after a stretch late in the second and early in the third when momentum seemed to be slipping.
“We didn’t get deterred,” Hynes said. “I liked the response.
We went right back to the game we felt would give us a chance to win. We stayed with it.
Obviously, ‘Fabes’ had a nice goal for us.”
Hynes also noted what he called a “fluky” third Montreal goal, but emphasized the team’s ability to reset and respond. That mental toughness has been a theme during this recent run.
Matt Boldy and Johansson each tallied two assists, and Filip Gustavsson stopped 17 shots to secure the win. On the other side, Dobes made 20 saves and extended his own point streak to nine games (9-0-1) despite the loss.
Montreal coach Martin St. Louis acknowledged his team’s effort but admitted they didn’t quite have their full game.
“We’re aware when we’re off a little bit,” St. Louis said.
“We try to simplify and regulate. You saw some sections of our A-game tonight-just not enough of it.
But it allows us to get a big point here.”
There were a few notable absences and injuries. Minnesota forward Marcus Foligno was a late scratch due to illness.
Defenseman Daemon Hunt left the game early in the first after taking a puck to the throat area and did not return. Hynes said postgame that Hunt is OK and they don’t anticipate him missing time.
For Montreal, Demidov continues to impress. With his goal, he now has 46 points (12 goals, 34 assists) in 56 games this season-matching Mario Tremblay for the fourth-most points in a season by a Canadiens player aged 20 or younger. Only Guy Lafleur (64 in 1971-72), Juraj Slafkovsky (50 in 2023-24), and Henri Richard (47 in 1956-57) have had more.
This was a heavyweight tilt between two teams with playoff aspirations, and it delivered the kind of back-and-forth action that keeps fans on the edge of their seats. For the Wild, it’s another step forward in a season that’s starting to feel more and more like it could be something special-especially with Kaprizov and Hughes leading the charge.